Manatee Springs State Park along the Swanee River

Our camp set up. We had to eat our dinner by 5:00 pm in order to have enough light to finish cleaning up. It was a real relief to have cots to sleep on for the first time in our new big stand up tent. Nothing beats being able to stand up to put on your pants. Down side of camping in Florida in the winter is it gets dark so early, you are in bed by 6:30 pm with nothing else you can do. Don't want to be out with the critters much. A long night stretches ahead even when you read with a light until 8.

Interesting cabbage palms everywhere, along with the red and live oaks and amazing cypress trees. We hiked along a trail named Sinks for all the sink holes around there. Scuba divers enter into long channels through the natural springs to explore them.  Personally, I'll leave that bit of adventure to them. It is easy to in vision the early tribes of Indians living in this area, as the fauna looks just about the same as it did then.

We paddled up the Swanee quite a ways looking for gators, but didn't see a one.  We were told, however, that if you come in the dark and shine a light you would see lots of red eyes looking back at you along the banks. I figured they had a pretty good view of us, anyway, as we paddled along the shoreline.

The area we entered the water, called Manatee Springs, takes you out to the Swanee River. The manatees have begun coming into this area now that the weather is colder. We were paddling around one big guy who lazed under us. They are amazing creatures; so huge, yet so docile and defenseless. You could see where propellers had made their marks on his back. Florida is becoming serious about protecting them the best they can.

Hundreds of turkey buzzards were lurking down at us as we paddled by. Felt like Hitchcock's "The Birds". We were wondering how there could be that much around for them to feed on.

The boardwalk that takes you along the springs out to the Swanee River with Michael stopping for a shot. The view is incredible! So peaceful.  The real old Florida we love.

Got to say though, coming home to your own convenient kitchen and bathroom really makes you appreciate coming home!